Richard Speedy
Senior Director
With more people than ever holidaying in the UK, we look at the best places across the country to buy a holiday home – whether you want beach-side luxury, a city crash pad or elegant rural retreat.
City pads
More and more British people are choosing to stay in the UK for their holidays. Travel marketing group Sojern found that between October 2016 and January 2017 there was a 23.8% rise in British holidaymakers planning staycations for summer 2017 – whether that’s city breaks or remote rural holidays.
The UK’s many and varied historic cities are some of the most popular destinations for those taking a staycation. Travelodge’s annual holiday index put London as the fourth most popular holiday destination for Brits staying in the UK.
And you can see why. London has everything you’d want from a city – varied culture, great restaurants, world-class shopping, and world-famous sites. But it’s also well connected to the rest of the country and the world, making it the ideal bolt-on location for a longer holiday.
The best places to buy luxury holiday homes in London are those centrally located, with Kensington and Mayfair popular among the elite. Other spots to consider include Belgravia, Knightsbridge and Chelsea. Here you have everything you need on your doorstep.
At the other end of the country are the historical charms of Edinburgh. Not only does Scotland’s capital have the history, it is also filled with life and entertainment due in a large part to the regular festival.
The city’s West End is best placed to look for a luxury holiday apartment – waking distance from the city centre and its sights, but remote enough to be peaceful to retire to after a long day sightseeing.
Oxford is also becoming a popular stop on tourist routes in the UK for both foreign visitors and UK holidaymakers. It’s a great city for a holiday as it’s relatively compact but works as a gateway to the rest of the county and countryside. Visitors love the universities’ history and various museums.
We suggest looking in the Park Town and Summertown regions for your holiday pad thanks to their excellent independent shops and restaurants and good transport links.
Beach retreats and boats
Britain’s coast line is a haven for holidaymakers whether they’re interested in sailing, seafood or simply sunning themselves on the golden sands. From Northumberland to Cornwall, British beach life has something for everyone.
Richard Speedy, Head of Strutt and Parker’s Waterside Department, says the South Hams in Devon is the area for beachside holiday homes, especially the town of Salcombe.
“Salcombe is very expensive but has great beaches,” he says. “The sailing is very good, and the town is geared up for affluent customers with nice restaurants.”
Elsewhere in the county are Dartmouth and Kingswear, sitting opposite each other at the mouth of the Dart Estuary. Both have varied housing stock from small apartments to large houses, so there’s plenty of variety. But most importantly, there’s very deep water mooring there – big enough for cruise ships – so holidaymakers can rent or take any size of boat.
East Devon is also very popular thanks to its beaches. Places like Lyme Regis are becoming more popular, while Sandbanks around Poole harbour has always been a good choice for holiday homes. Then across to Lymington near the Solent there is great sailing because of its proximity to the Isle of Wight and Cowes.
Head to Cornwall and you’ve got the likes of Foy, where there are deep water moorings, and Polzeath and Treyarnon, which provide great beaches. St Ives, meanwhile, has a bit of everything - sailing, surfing and lovely beaches.
If it’s remote wind swept landscape, rugged coastline and historic market towns you’re after, then Northumberland is the place to invest. In the 2011 census, Northumberland was one of the top 20 local authorities for second homes and last year, around a quarter of homes sold by Strutt & Parker in the area were second homes.
Holidaymakers get a lot for their money here, when compared to the south coast, especially in places like up-and-coming Amble, or Bamburgh – dubbed the Chelsea of Northumberland.
Alnmouth is another favourite thanks to the colourful homes that line the Aln Estuary, its deserted beaches, bird sanctuaries and plenty of good local pubs.
Countryside hideaways
Not everyone wants to be in the hub of city life or rubbing shoulders with people on the beach – one of the most popular British holidays is a remote getaway into the countryside. And our rural escapes are some of the best in the world – from the magnificent Scottish Highlands to the luxurious Cotswolds.
The Travelodge annual holiday index put the Scottish Highlands as the sixth most popular staycation destination. And it’s no surprise – it provides something you simply can’t find anywhere else in the country.
From walkers and climbers, to skiers and foodies, the Highlands has everything. The Cairngorms is a particular highlight offering skiing in the winter and stunning scenery in the summer.
The areas around Loch Ness provide great views across the mythical lake. The small village of Drumnadrochit may feel like a Loch Ness theme park, but it has charm and plenty of local amenities.
For those not wanting to make the long trek into the Highlands, you’ve always got the Yorkshire Dales. The Dales are peppered with traditional and beautiful villages from the likes of West Burton to small towns like Middleham.
The market town of Pateley Bridge is a great spot to invest in a holiday home, as it’s close to Harrogate’s life, but is also near local tourist sites such as Brimham Rocks, Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal deer park.
Hawes, set in the centre of the Dales, is the home of Wensleydale cheese – and the Wensleydale Creamery still functions to this day. Add to that the natural wonder of Hardraw Force - England’s highest single drop waterfall - and it makes the perfect holiday location.
The Dales is also stocked with amazing restaurants with Michelin-starred eateries in upmarket Ilkley.
And if you want to mix countryside with luxury, then the Cotswolds is the place to buy your holiday home. The gentle rolling hills are home to many honey-coloured gastro pubs and hotels.
You can enjoy small villages like Snowshill and Painswick, or larger market towns like Cirencester, Tetbury, Stroud and Tewkesbury. Longborough is a favourite among holidaymakers thanks to its easy access, good amenities and the fact it has its own Opera House.
Nearby, Moreton-in-Marsh serves as a gateway to the Cotswolds thanks to the quick connections to London, making it a great place to buy a holiday home for weekend trips. It has a great market and plenty of sites to see nearby.